Duduzane, Myeni and Guptas ditch Eskom inquiry hearing

The portfolio committee on public enterprises tasked with uncovering the rot of state capture at Eskom will not interrogate all the ‘big fish’ tomorrow, as only Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has confirmed attendance.

Ministerial spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete, together with chairperson Zukiswa Rantho, confirmed Gigaba would be in the committee room at 9.30am tomorrow in the parliamentary precinct in Cape Town.

“The minister is coming. He does not have a problem appearing before the committee. This is very good because we will be dealing with the matter once and for all. It is good that he is taking responsibility and coming through,” Rantho said.

“Yes, absolutely, the minister will be in parliament tomorrow appearing before the committee,” Tshwete said in a terse telephonic response.

The three other key witnesses implicated in the mismanagement of state funds at the public power utility will not be present, and almost all of them have informed Rantho through the committee secretary they would not be attending.

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Former South African Airways (SAA) chairwoman and ‘aviation expert’ Dudu Myeni has informed Rantho in an emailed apology she would not be flying to Cape Town tomorrow.

Myeni was spotted by City Press at the four-star Garden Court hotel in Hatfield, Pretoria, at about 10.30pm last Wednesday after telling another committee she was too ill to attend.

“Dudu [Myeni] has sent an email saying she is too ill to attend, and therefore she reserves the right to be given her space. We will discuss the matter as the committee and see what to do,” a clearly dumbfounded Rantho told The Citizen over the phone a shortwhile ago.

Rantho said joining Myeni on the absentia list would be the Gupta brothers and Duduzane Zuma.

“The Gupta brothers have sent the committee secretary a long letter. It is basically saying they are outside the country, and they won’t be able to attend the hearing tomorrow. They are not specifying where they are currently. We will have to discuss this matter as well.

“Duduzane Zuma is also not coming. The committee secretary has also received a letter from Mr Zuma that he will not be able to attend the hearing tomorrow. We will only deal with the minister,” an exasperated Rantho said.